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ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR.

Born December 23rd 1908, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was the type of leader that The Establishment does NOT want you to know about. He was by far the most powerful Black Congressman EVER. But just steps from assuming the role of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Powell was railroaded & neutralized with allegations of corruption that would never be proven to be true. Powell spent 26 Years in Congress, after years crusading for jobs and housing for the Harlem's poor. In 1941, He became the first Black Man elected to the New York City Council in 1941, and won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1945. By 1960, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. had risen to the powerful post as Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee. From there, Powell was instrumental in passing The Minimum Wage Act, workforce training legislation, federal aid for education, several Anti-Poverty bills-along with about 50 other major pieces of Social-Welfare Legislation in all.

By 1966, Powell was considered to be the most powerful Black Politician in the country-if not the most powerful politician of them ALL. And it would be a letter of praise, from then President Lyndon Johnson that would spell the beginning of the end for Adam Powell. Almost immediately Powell's enemies began ramping up their efforts to undermine his power. Criticized for his support of the Black Power Movement, Powell would now be faced with charges of Libel-when Powell called out a local leader if the Harlem Numbers Racket. From there, Powell would be accused of several improprieties in regard to his spending & abuse of power. Powell was never found guilty of any of the charges; but with the help of the coerced testimony of his estranged wife, Powell was removed from his post as Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee in March 1967. The very next day, he was removed from Congress all together. He was also stripped of his 20+ years of Seniority & fined $40,000. Harlem erupted in unified protest, after this travesty of justice. Ironically, his chief accuser in Congress was actually found guilty of the same charges years later. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. would be re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968; and a year later, The U.S Supreme Court would find that the move to remove him from Congress was unconstitutional. Unfortunately Powell's health was now in decline; and after losing to Congressman Charlie Rangel in 1970, he would retire. Adam Clayton Powell would pass away in 1972, in the Bahamas. A flamboyant & classy gentleman, Powell earned degrees from the prestigious Colgate & Columbia Universities. He would also have an eleven year marriage to the beautiful & talented jazz singer Hazel Scott.